Absentee Ballot Process

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Oregon has a vote by mail process. Ballots will be mailed 14 to 18 days before an election. If it is determined by the county elections official that a person does not receive daily mail service from USPS, the ballot is mailed 18 to 20 days before the election. Out of state voters that are not long term absentee voters have their ballots mailed no sooner than the 29th day before the election. Long term and military absentee ballots (including all out of country ballots) are mailed 45 days before the election.

You may apply for absentee voter status if you live out of state or if you know that you will be absent for the election (i.e., you will be out of town prior to the election and are putting your mail on hold.) Absentee ballots are available 45 days before the election. To apply for absentee voter status: obtain an absentee ballot request form from your county elections office or , fill out the form, and return it to your county elections office in person, via US mail or fax.

If you prefer, your absentee ballot request can remain valid for all future elections until you notify your county elections official otherwise or you move out of the county. Please specify this preference on the request form.

To be a long term absentee voter, you must be a resident of Oregon who is absent from your place of residence. Possible long term absentee voters could include a person temporarily living outside of the territorial limits of the United States and the District of Columbia or a spouse of a long term absentee voter.

Overseas citizens and U.S. military personnel can find information on how to register to vote and request an absentee ballot at the Overseas Vote Foundation.

Campaign Finance Information

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For information on federal campaign contributions, please visit Open Secrets.

Eligibility Requirements

At least 17 years of age (If you are 17 years of age, you will not receive a ballot until an election occurs on or after your 18th birthday.)

ID Needed for Voter Registration

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To register to vote, complete the voter registration form online, print it out and sign it. You can fill out the form online, but will still need to print, sign and mail it in. (Please use black ink.) Mail the form to your county elections official or drop it off in person. You must provide acceptable ID information to register to vote. If you have a current, valid Oregon driver's license or ID, you must provide that number on your voter registration form. If you do not have either of these items, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number on your voter registration form. If you do not have any of these items, you must affirm this on the voter registration form and provide a copy of one of the following with your voter registration form:

Valid photo identification

A paycheck stub

A utility bill

A bank statement

A government document

Proof of eligibility under the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act (UOCAVA) or the voting accessibility for the elderly and handicapped act (VAEH)

Your county elections office will mail you a card to let you know that your registration was received. If you are registering in Oregon for the first time, your completed voter registration form must be postmarked 21 days before the election in order to vote in that election. If you are unable to sign your name because of a disability, you should complete the "signature stamp attestation" form, which is available at your local county elections office.

ID Needed for Voting?

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Oregon has a vote by mail process. Instead of using traditional polling places where voters go to cast ballots on Election Day, a ballot is mailed to each registered voter.

You will need to sign the return envelope of your ballot. Your signature will be matched with your voter registration card to verify your identity.

Overseas and Military Voters

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You are a Military or Overseas voter if you are in uniformed services, living overseas OR a spouse or dependent of a uniformed services voter. To get registered and vote, you can utilize Overseas Vote Foundation.

If you have additional questions about elections and voting overseas you can use our state specific elections official directory or contact the Overseas Vote Foundation.

Poll Worker Information

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Oregon has a vote by mail process and does not have traditional polling places that require staffing by poll workers. To find out how you can volunteer on Election Day, contact your local board of elections.

Polling Place Hours

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You can still vote in person in Oregon. Each County Elections Office provides privacy booths for voters who want to vote in person or voters who need assistance.

All ballots must be returned to a County Elections Office or designated drop site by 8pm on Election Day.

Provisional Voting

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Provisional ballots are counted 14 days after Election Day.

If there is a question about your eligibility as a voter or if you need to vote at a county elections office in a county other than the one in which you live, you will be issued a provisional ballot. In order to obtain a provisional ballot, you need to fill out a provisional ballot request form at the county elections office. Your provisional ballot will not be counted until it is determined that you are eligible to vote. After you have voted the ballot, you can call 1-866-ORE-VOTES or the county elections office in which you voted to find out if your ballot was counted. If it is determined that you are ineligible to vote in this election, the completed provisional ballot request form will serve as your voter registration for future elections.

Provisions for Voters with Disabilities

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If you are an Oregon voter with a disability, you can receive assistance to register to vote, vote your ballot, or return your ballot by contacting your county elections office office or by calling 1-866-ORE-VOTES. You can also request assistance from a caretaker, care provider or someone else you personally choose.

Verify Voter Registration

Vote by Mail

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Oregon has a vote by mail process. Instead of using traditional polling places where voters go to cast ballots on Election Day, a ballot is mailed to each registered voter. The ballot is then voted and returned to the county election office to be counted. In Oregon, ballots will be mailed any time between 14 to 18 days before the election. After it is voted, the ballot may be mailed or hand-delivered to the county election office. In order to be counted, the ballot must be received by the county election office or designated drop site no later than 8:00 pm on Election Day. Postmarks do not count. If you are a registered voter, your ballot will be automatically sent to you. You can call 1-866-ORE-VOTES or contact your county election office to make sure your vote was received.You will need to sign the return envelope of your ballot. Your signature will be matched with your voter registration card to verify your identity.

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